Knute Buehler’s campaign continues to gather momentum as signaled by strong fundraising over the past six weeks. His call for the reform of Oregon’s PERS system also drew the attention of The Oregonian’s editorial board.

Buehler’s current reporting shows he has raised more than $803,000.00 from more than 1,300 donors. The amount surpasses the $738,000 raised by Rick Dancer during the 2008 Secretary of State’s race and puts him on pace to raise more than the $953,00.00 Lynn Snodgrass raised in 2000. It would make Buehler the highest raising Republican Secretary of State candidate in the last 20 years.

In addition, Buehler’s call last week for the reform of PERS attracted the attention of the editorial board for the state’s largest newspaper, The Oregonian. They echoed the importance of the issue saying, “So, bring on the PERS discussion. If enough people who hold and aspire to public office in Oregon start treating the PERS problem as seriously as it deserves to be treated, maybe the conventional wisdom Buehler mentions can be upended.”

“My message of reforming the Secretary of State’s office into an active participant in Oregon’s economy is resonating with people,” Buehler said. “Kate Brown has opposed PERS reform, has been under-performing on audits, under-performing on using the Corporation Division to help business, and on elections it’s been controversy after controversy. It’s time for a change.”